Harvest Mania
by Boo Goes Squeak
Summary: AWL, somewhat AU After the death of their father, Jack and Mimi inherit his farm. They are greeted by rowdy neighbors, suspicious strangers, and a gaggle of crazy girls. Who ever thought farming would be this fun? ON HIATUS
1. Welcome to the Valley

Hi! This is my first Harvest Moon fic, and it _is_ a crazy one! But first, I need to straighten out a couple of things. This, as I mentioned in the summary, this is kinda AU. It still takes place in Forget-Me-Not Valley, but the characters are wildly different from their game counterparts. You will soon see what I mean by that, but first I need to fill you in on a few changes. Everything is the same as when you first start in the first chapter, with the following exceptions:

Samantha, Grant, and Kate live in the Valley. Nina has already passed away, with Galen living in the house by her grave. Hardy lives in Galen's old home. Here is a list of the ages of the children characters:

Jack-18

Mimi-15

Nami-19

Celia-18

Muffy-18

Lumina-16

Hugh-19

Kate-15

You think you got all that? If you're confused at all, you can ask me any questions via review.

And now that we're all cool, you may proceed to the main attraction.

* * *

**Welcome to the Valley!**

It was hard to say what Jack was feeling. He was on a train, going to a place he'd never heard of, to attend the funeral of a man he hardly knew. This man, his father, Avery Golden, was dead. This man had left Jack and his mother, just after the birth of his little sister Mimi. And now, Jack and Mimi had inherited their father's farm, in a place called Forget-Me-Not Valley. Jack couldn't even point out this Forget Me Valley on a map. It was a little farming village, as far as he knew. He and Mimi were only going to look and put the farm up for sale. Or, at least, that's what Jack and his mother wanted to do.

Mimi was incredibly curious. She had never known her father. He left shortly after her birth. She'd seen him in pictures and heard his voice when he called twice a year to say hi, and wish her or Jack a happy birthday. She didn't feel sad, like she thought she would, at her father being dead. Maybe it was because she'd never met him. She wasn't feeling much of anything really, besides curiosity and a bit of excitement. Not exactly what you usually feel before a funeral. But more importantly, she and her big brother had inherited a farm. All her life, Mimi had wanted to live on a farm. Her mother condoned such an attitude, but Mimi thought her dream was perfectly acceptable. And this was her chance to live it!

"What was Dad like, Jack?" Mimi asked quietly, rolling her head over to look at her big brother.

Jack stared out the window, "I don't remember."

"You gotta remember something."

Jack glanced at her before looking at the red upholstery covering the seat in front of him, "He liked to sing. He had this real deep voice. He would...sing me to sleep at night."

Mimi smiled, "Is that why you like music so much?"

Her brother shrugged, "I guess." He returned his gaze to the window.

"Attention passengers. This is your conductor speaking. We will be arriving in Mineral Town in five minutes. Thank you for using Express Railways."

"That's us," muttered Jack. He picked up his backpack, which lay underneath his chair. Mimi grabbed her messenger bag and purse and bounced a little in her seat.

"This is so cool!"

"Whatever."

The train slowed to a stop, and the brother/sister duo stepped off. They looked around the bustling station. An older man, a bit hunched over, held up a sign with 'Jack and Mimi Golden' scrawled across it in bold letters. They pushed through the crowd to get to him.

"Hey," called Mimi, "We're the Goldens!"

"Oh, hi," said the man, letting his arms drop to his side, "I'm Takakura." He held his hand out for Jack and Mimi to shake. "Go grab your luggage and bring it over, okay?"

"Sure," said Mimi.

She and Jack headed to the baggage car and found their two suitcases. Takakura loaded them into a small wagon, pulled by a single horse. The horse was chestnut brown with a darker brown for his mane and tail. His powerful legs stamped the ground impatiently.

Mimi squealed with delight, "Oh isn't he wonderful! What's his name?"

"Ezra," replied Takakura, helping her into the wagon before climbing in himself and taking the reins, "He was your father's most prized animal. You'll never find a better horse in all the country."

"Wow," breathed Jack. He reached put and petted Ezra's nose. The large creature nuzzled the young man gently. Jack smiled for the first time since the news of his father's death had arrived.

"Come on, Mr. Golden," called Takakura, "We can't be late."

Jack pulled himself into the wagon and settled down next to his sister. He felt a little brighter. Maybe this trip wouldn't be quite so unbearable.

* * *

"We are gathered here today to honor a man, a man who was dear to us all. He may not have been the best farmer, or the luckiest in love, but he was a great friend to us all. We are all affected by his loss."

Jack closed his eyes. 'This is so stupid,' he thought, 'complete drivel.' He opened his eyes and looked at the man delivering the sermon. He was tall and handsome, with bulging muscles. Jack had never seen muscles that big, the legs especially. 'He must run all the time.' What had Takakura said his name was? Jack and Mimi had been quickly introduced to all the thirty villagers before the funeral began. Wallis...Walter...Wally! His name was Wally.

Mimi's gaze drifted over to the row of girls. They were (in order from left to right) Muffy, Celia, Kate, Lumina, and Nami. Mimi's eyes strayed on Nami for a moment. She looked utterly bored, and was probably thinking about all the places she'd rather be. She sensed eyes upon her and glanced at Mimi. She smirked. Mimi blinked; she gave the young woman a smile, and looked away.

Jack peered at the men. They all looked drunk, drugged out, or both. He tried half-heartedly to remember their names. He saw Tim and Rock first. Rock was half asleep, and Tim was nibbling a rice ball. The old man, Galen, stood a little ways away from the group, his heavily lidded eyes darting about. Marlin and Griffin huddled together. Hugh sat away from them, with his mother. Sebastian sat by the old woman her worked for. Kassey and Patrick were giggling to themselves near the back. Daryl, Carter, and Hardy sat closer to the front, not even trying to hide their bored looks. Gustafa sat next to Cody, fingering his guitar absentmindedly. Grant sat next to his wife.

Mimi dragged her eyes away from the girls and surveyed the women of the village. Ruby sat away from Tim and Rock, eyeing her husband somewhat angrily. Chris sat next to her son, patting is hand gently. Romana was next to her butler, looking a bit too prim and proper for a funeral. She wore a lacy black dress, a large black hat with a gaudy feather from huge bird sticking out, and arm length black gloves. She dabbed her dry eyes with a lacey black kerchief. Vesta sat alone, eyeing Jack weirdly. Mimi couldn't help but shiver at the sight. She turned to gaze to Flora. She looked pretty and studious, her bright eyes staring longingly at Wally. Samantha looked pretty and delicate, her darker eyes staring longingly at Flora.

Jack glanced around once more. His gaze settled on a small man, with flies buzzing around his head, standing next to three tiny creature-people-things. Jack blinked. The three creature-people-things smiled and waved at him before walking away. The man, who looked like he needed a bath desperately, fixed Jack with a hard stare. Neither one looked away until the man nodded and left. Jack scratched the back of his head. This was a bit too weird for him.

"And I'm sure Avery would have been pleased to see his two children, Jack and Mimi, here with us," Wally said, snapping the two children to attention. All eyes were on them now. Jack sank down in his seat, and glanced at Mimi. Her cheeks were red and she was staring at the ground. Jack caught her eyes and smiled reassuringly. Mimi gave him a small smile and laughed embarrassedly.

"Goodbye, Avery," Wally finished, "We'll miss you."

* * *

"Wow," whispered Mimi, barely able to contain her excitement. She spread her arms out, taking it all in. The fresh air, the sweet wetness of Spring, the pink blossoms, the mooing and neighing and clucking of all the animals; she pulled it all inside herself, feeling complete.

Takakura smiled tenderly down at her, "Would you like a tour?"

"Oh, yes, please!" Mimi cried, her green eyes shining. Jack only shrugged and mumbled something about there being nothing better to do.

Takakura took them to the barn first, and showed them the shed next to it. He showed them the storage area and explained how he took all their crops, dairy products, and eggs to the city to sell. He brought them around to the pasture to where a large female cow rested, a littler cow by her side. A bull stood a little ways off, grazing.

"The big cow is Daisy. The little on is Mona and the one with horns is Jesse," Takakura explained, "Since Mona was just born, Daisy has started to give milk. You can milk her twice a day, everyday, for a good profit."

He showed them the three different fields. The largest one was filled with apple trees. Takakura told them the apples would grow in Fall. The second largest had a row of tomatoes and a row of watermelons, according to Takakura. The children couldn't really tell from the sprouts that just barely poked up from the soft dirt, but Takakura assured them they were plants and not weeds. The smallest field had no crops.

In the chicken coop, the children were introduced to the three chickens and roster. Takakura said Avery had not bothered to name them, since they were only chickens. Mimi promptly named all four: Elli, Karen, Popuri, and Matt.

Last was the house. It had two main rooms: the bedroom in front, and the kitchen in back. It had two side rooms, one with a toilet and sink, the other with a combination bathtub/shower and a large Jacuzzi tub.

Takakura then left the two and returned to his home on the edge of the property, but not before promising them he could answer any questions they had.

Mimi threw herself down onto the queen sized bed and giggled with shear joy, "Isn't this amazing?"

Jack stood in the open doorway, his head resting against the frame, staring out at the farm that now belonged to him and his sister, "How is it amazing?"

"This, all of this, is ours," she cried, opening her arms to indicate the whole farm.

Jack didn't look at her, "It's hardly amazing."

Mimi smile at her brother's back, "You'll grow to like it."

"I don't plan to. We're selling this place ASAP. Got it?"

"What!" Mimi jumped to her feet, "You can't be serious."

"I'm completely serious. This is just some beat up old farm in a little village. It's not worth our time and energy. I, for one, have better things to do."

"But Jack," Mimi whimpered, "This is the one thing I've always wanted, to live and work on a farm. You know that better than anyone. Can't we at least give it a try? Please."

Jack turned to see his sister's eyes brimming with tears. "Mimi..." he tried to come up with a convincing argument, his resolve was already beginning to slip. He sighed and shook his head, "Mom would kill us if we stayed," he muttered.

"Mom needs to lighten up," Mimi said with a wave of her hand, "It'll be good to get away from her for a while. You'll see. Besides, we both need more fresh air and sun shine. Mom won't mind as long as we stay active, and eat balanced meals, and all that stuff she talks about."

Jack ran a hand through his thick, brown hair, "Alright," he sighed, "We'll stay for a little while. But if anything happens to turn me off to this place, we're gone."

"Yay!" Mimi squealed, throwing her arms around her brother, "You're the best, Jack."

"I try."

* * *

What do you think? It's gonna get really good in the next chapter, so you have that to look forward to. Reviews are welcomed and loved dearly. 


	2. Word to the Wise

**Hi all! Welcome to the second chapter of Harvest Mania. There were I few things I forgot to mention last chapter which I think you all should know. **

**First of all, I don't own Harvest Moon: A Wonder Life. I do own Mimi, however. **

**Second, this story is R for a reason. It contains drug and alcohol references, and some veryexplicit sexual stuff. **

**Lastly, this will contain yuri and a maybe a bit of yoai. But definite yuri. If you don't like, don't read. **

**Props to Malcore for figuring out the storybehind thenames of thechickens. Karen, Elli, and Popuri were myfavorite girls to court in Harvert Moon 64.Anyone who can guess the origin of Matt gets a prize. **

**When you see thesearound words,that means it is the letter being read. **

**Ok, now that that's all cleared up, you may proceed!**

* * *

A Word to the Wise

Mimi twisted and squirmed on the large bed. She was much to excited to sleep. At last, a farm for her and Jack! They got along pretty well, considering they were brother and sister. Jack was always nice to Mimi, and Mimi never told her friends about the embarrassing things Jack sometimes did. She considered him her best friend. There was no one else she'd rather live out her dream with.

She slid her hand under the pillow and closed her eyes. They opened a moment later when she felt something under the pillow. She sat up, pulling out an envelope. She squinted in the dark, trying to make out what it said.

"Ja...Jack...and...Mi...Mimi" she managed to read. She lifted her head to look at the outline of her sleeping brother. He lay on a mattress on the floor by the window, snoring softly.

"Jack," she called, "Jack!"

Jack rolled over and continued to snore.

"Jack, wake up!"

"What?" he mumbled, his back to her.

"I found a letter under my pillow. I think it's from Dad."

"Can't this wait?"

"No," Mimi said, flatly.

Grumbling, Jack pulled himself up. He shuffled over to light switch and flicked it on. He and Mimi blinked in the sudden light. When his eyes adjusted, he shuffled over to Mimi and sat next to her on the bed.

She opened the envelope and pulled out the letter within. She peered at the first line, "It is from Dad."

"I'll read it," Jack said, taking it from her. He cleared his throat and began to read in a steady, even voice.

To my darling children:

If you are reading this, it means I have passed away. I wish I could see you now, but seeing as I'm dead, I can't.

I'd like to say right off the bat, I'm sorry. I sucked as a dad. I really wish I could have taken you two with me when I left, but your mother would have filed all sorts of lawsuits to get you back. I didn't want to have to fight her. I'm sorry your mom and I were divorced. No kid needs that. I wish I could go back and do it right, but I can't. The only thing I can hope for now is that you take over my farm and live like I tried to. And for you two to be the best farmers in the whole damn world.

With that being said, I need you to know something. Forget-Me-Not Valley is not the best place in the world for two kids. Not even for you, Jack. But I want you to try and manage as well as you can. So I wrote a guide to all the villagers so that you can know what to look out for. This will help.

Jack took a paused fer moment. Her glanced at Mimi before continuing.

Takakura: He's my best friend. Don't worry about him. He's a real nice guy, and he'll do anything he can to help you. Don't be afraid to ask him any questions you have. He'll give the best answers.

Tim: He's a bit crazy. He constantly eats and randomly starts talking in other languages. He's an ok guy, if you can deal with him.

Ruby: She's a real sweet lady, but being cooped up in the kitchen all the time, cooking for Tim, drives her insane. Only talk to her if she's outside. That's when she acts civilized.

Rock: This kid is an idiot. He parties all the time, and is hung-over every waking moment. His only redeeming quality is being the best drink mixer in the Valley.

Nami: Nami is mysterious, to say the least. I would spend whole nights drinking and talking to her, and never learn a think about her. She can be a bit dark, but she is a good friend to have.

Galen: Stay away form Galen. He went insane after his wife's death, and no ones been able to get near him since. Well, except for Samantha, but only because she reminds him of his wife.

Nina is Galen's dead wife.

Wally: This man would die if he didn't to exercise at least 5 times a day. I have a feeling he's on steroids, though. I mean, no one can have muscles like that. He's kind of oblivious to the world around him.

Chris: Wally's wife, Chris, is a very paranoid woman. She devotes her life to Hugh, and would never let him out of the house if Wally didn't insist upon it. I'd be careful around her.

Hugh: Hugh is a nice boy. He exercises too, but not nearly as much as his father. I believe he wants to be a scientist. He hangs out with Daryl and Carter when his mom's not around.

Griffin: He is Muffy's step dad. He is part of the druggies, and is the second best drink mixer in town. Keep an eye on him. He's nice when his stoned, but not at all when he's sober.

Muffy: Muffy is the leader of a group called The Girls. She constantly flirts. You should watch out for her, Jack. You too, Mimi. She doesn't limit herself to boys. She and Celia often work as a team. You may come to understand that later.

Romana: Romana considers herself to be the mayor of the town, which she is not. She bleeds money, and is the greediest person alive. She's Lumina's grandmother and piano teacher. I suspect she pushes poor Lumina a little too hard.

Sebastian: This guy is Romana's butler. He's one of the druggies. He likes Lumina a little too much. Mimi, stay away from him. Jack, keep him away from Mimi.

Lumina: Lumina is the sweetest child you'll ever hope to meet. Sadly, her parents died when she was young and now she is very depressed. She is one of The Girls, although she doesn't like them very much. Be nice to her. She needs some good, real friends.

Vesta: Stay away from Vesta. She is a competitive farmer. She will not sell you seeds. You'll have to get them secretly from Celia or Marlin.

Marlin: Marlin doesn't like the Valley. He's only there because he has weak lungs, and is incredibly asthmatic. He has a crush on Celia, but won't admit it. He can't stand seeing Celia and Muffy together. He'll be nice to you if you're nice to him.

Celia: She might seem like a good girl, but she takes on a whole new persona at night. I have a feeling she loves Muffy, seeing as she does everything that horrid girl tells her to do. She is co-commander of The Girls.

Kassey and Patrick: They are twins and they are crazy. They're pyro's who know how to make explosives. Stay away from them.

Daryl: This guy is even more paranoid than Chris, which is a difficult thing to accomplish. He is a druggie and a drunkard. I think he builds bombs. He has a pet, something he created, called MukuMuku. It eats small animals.

Carter: Carter is a washed up archeologist. He claims he is digging for alien bones. He's a druggie, and not a very nice guy.

Flora: Flora is one of The Girls, and I don't know why. She is studious and smart, nothing like the others. She has a crush on Wally, and thus detests Chris. She can be nice, but is a mean drunk.

Gustafa: This man is the biggest of all the druggies. He almost always has a joint hanging out of his mouth. He likes to jam with Griffin and Lumina at night, at the bar. I think he and Nami have something going on, but it's hard to tell for sure.

Hardy: Stay away from Hardy. She is not a real doctor. He is the reason Nina is dead. Do not, on any occasion, buy his "medicine".

Van: Van is a very fat man. You can't miss him. He is the dealer for the druggies. He does some other bad transactions, and often swindles money from Romana.

Cody: Cody is a surrealist artist. You should check out his trailer, it is very trippy. The druggies often go there to get high. He's not a bad guy, though. I think something is going on with him and Nami too, but again, I can't be sure.

Murrey: Don't give money to Murrey. He'll only use it to buy drugs and booze. He likes to stalk The Girls. Mimi, watch out for him.

Grant: Grant is a bad man. He is often in the city, or getting drunk, or getting high. He becomes violent when he's stoned or wasted. I believe he is unfaithful to Samantha.

Samantha: I feel sorry for this woman. Her husband is terrible to her, her daughter is a little bitch, and I think she's in love with Flora. She is a kind person, just depressed. Try to be nice to her. I'm sure she would appreciate it.

Kate: Kate, like I said, is a bitch, and the lowest member of The Girls. She acts smug and arrogant all the time. She hates her father for never being there for her, and her mother for being quiet and scared. She hates a lot of things.

That is all. I realize this might turn you off the whole "let's be a farmer!" idea. I just want to let you know what you're getting into. Be careful here. Hopefully, you'll have some fun. This will definitely be an adventure for you both.

Sincerely,

Your loving father, Avery Golden

Jack took several deep breaths before turning to his sister, "Mimi?"

Mimi tookthe note from him and looked at it, "Jack, if anything, this makes me want to stay here more."

"Yeah," he whispered, "Me too."

They grinned at each other.

"Who would have thought," laughed Mimi, "We're going to go on a farming adventure!"

* * *

**That was all to set the stage for what's coming next. And believe me, what's coming next is gonna knock your socks off. Until next time! **


	3. A Free Afternoon

**Another chapter just for you. What do you think? **

**BTW, I don't own anything having to do with Harvest Moon, besides Mimi. **

**Incase you missed my warning last chapter, this story contains drug and alchohol references, and sexually explicit scenes. This will contain yuri and some yoai. But later. Not yet...**

* * *

A Free Afternoon

It was a couple days before Jack and Mimi grew accustom to farm life. With help from Takakura, they fell into a set schedule. Jack would wake at 6:00 a.m. He would put the animals outside, brush the bovine, and the horse, and milk Daisy. That would take about an hour. Next, he would water the plants and tend the trees. Last, he would feed the chickens and gather their eggs. That together would also take about an hour. At around 7:30, Mimi woke up and prepared breakfast.

They had discussed taking turns with these chores, but Mimi wouldn't dare touch Daisy's udders or kneel in the dirt, and Jack couldn't cook to save his life. So, to avoid complications, they stuck to the routine they had developed.

It took them three days to return the farm to its original shape. Their father seemed to neglect whatever he decided wasn't all that important to his economic stature. He kept his orchard and animals in tip top shape, but his smaller fields and poultry suffered. So, his children took the time to give regard to what needed fixing.

They began with the chicken coop. Jack and Takakura repaired the shingles on the roof, and Mimi gave it a new coat of paint. Next, Jack and Takakura carefully weeded the smaller fields while Mimi straightened up the storage shed, with had fallen into disarray. In the end, the newbie farmers were thoroughly pleased with themselves.

* * *

Four days after they had first arrived, Jack and Mimi were just finishing breakfast when they realized they had nothing important to do that afternoon. They paused as they set their dishes in the sink, looking at each other thoughtfully. 

"Jack, does this mean we can go meet the neighbors?" Mimi asked her older brother.

"Yeah, I guess it does," Jack replied, a small smile spreading across his face. Ever since he and Mimi had read their father's letter, they had been anxious to find out if his guide was right.

They quickly washed the dishes and Mimi changed out of her pajamas into a pair blue jeans and a pink t-shirt with the Superman symbol displayed in red sequins. Jack was already dressed in faded jeans covered with dirt and grass stains, and a blue t-shirt. He wore his favorite green baseball cap backwards.

He and Mimi left the house, basking in the spring time sun. They grinned at each other, feeling good about their decision to stay. They started to leave the farm, when Takakura intercepted them.

"You two be careful, alright?" he said quietly. It hadn't taken Mimi and Jack very long to realize Takakura took the time to say only what was absolutely necessary. They had learned to heed his words.

"Yes, sir," they replied in unison before taking off.

As soon as they stepped off their property, Jack caught his sister by the shoulder, "I'm going to let you do as you please, but be good. I don't want to hear that anything bad has happened to you."

"No problem!" she grinned and made her way toward the beach.

Jack scratched his head, not exactly sure where to go. But before he could make a decision, a group of men came over to him. He identified them as Rock, Daryl, Gustafa, and Cody.

"Yo, little dude," called Gustafa as he and his companions approached, "You wanna buy some weed? Ours is much better than what they got in the city." The others nodded and mumbled in agreement.

"No thanks," Jack said, putting his hands into his pockets, "I'm not into that."

The group laughed. "Wuss! Pussy!" they jeered.

Gustafa pulled a dime back out of his coat and waved it in Jack's face, "You know you want it."

Jack took a step back, "Leave me alone."

"What's the matter? Scared of a little pot?" Rock drawled. The other's laughed again.

"Leave him alone," said a new voice.

They all turned to see Hugh, arms crossed over his chest, frowning forebodingly.

Gustafa sneered at him, "Back off, little boy."

"No."

The men looked at each other, at a loss. After a time, Gustafa stalked off, with his cronies in tow.

Hugh relaxed, letting his arms dropped to his sides and grinned at Jack, "Don't let them force that stuff on you. All you have to do is act fierce and they'll go away. They're a pretty timid bunch."

Jack laughed embarrassedly, "Thanks. I'll keep that in mind."

"How about you come over to my place?" Hugh offered, "If you're planning on getting to know everyone, you might as well start with my folks. They're pretty decent. Hell, compared to those guys, they're saints."

"Sounds good to me."

* * *

Mimi ran all the way to the beach, the wind whipping her long auburn hair into her face. She was no wimp, she could handle herself. She didn't need Jack or Takakura to worry about her. All she wanted to do was go and hang out by the ocean. She'd never seen the ocean before. 

She slowed to a halt, just far enough from the waves so her black and white high tops wouldn't get wet. She crouched down, shifting the sand through her fingers, taking in the exact feel and texture. She smiled at the blue sky above her.

"Hey girly," said a snide, snickering voice.

Mimi looked over her shoulder and saw Kassey and Patrick coming down from the direction of Cody's trailer. She stood up quickly, remembering her father's warning against the twins. They stopped in front of her, looking up the 5 inches that separated them from the girl.

"You wanna play with some fireworks?" one asked. Mimi couldn't tell the difference between the two.

"It'll be fun," cackled the other.

"Uh...no thanks," Mimi mumbled, taking a step back.

"Don't go," they said in unison, sounding incredibly creepy, "We just want to get to know you. It'll be so much fun."

Mimi, who was feeling pretty freaked out, took another step back, "No, really. I'd...uh...better go. Jack probably needs...something."

"Stay and play!" they cried.

Mimi turned and ran.

* * *

"Mom? I'm home!" 

Chris stepped out of the kitchen, cleaning her hands with a dish towel. She didn't look very paranoid to Jack, but he was beginning to believe anything was possible in this place. She smiled at the two boys standing in the doorway.

"Hello dear. Oh, hello Jack! I was wondering when you and your sister were going to come and say hi."

Jack smiled politely, "We had to get settled first. We really couldn't wait to come and meet everyone."

"That's lovely. I sure you'll do wonders with you father's farm. He was such a good man, rest his soul," she made the sign of the cross, tapping her forehead, her chest, and on both shoulders with her index finger. Shaking her head, she returned to the kitchen.

"Mom's an avid Christian," explained Hugh to a slightly confused Jack.

"Would you two like a snack?" Chris called from the kitchen.

"Yes, please," Jack said.

He and Hugh entered the kitchen. When Jack sat down at the counter, he could have sworn he saw Chris shoot him a very dirty look. But whether she had or not, it was gone in an instant. Jack shifted uncomfortably. Hetried not to thinkabout what his father had said about Chris in his letter.

* * *

_Thwack! _

Mimi reeled backwards. She had just come into contact with something very, very large.

She looked up. Carter stood above her, all imposing.

"Watch where you're going," he rumbled.

"Uh...so sorry," Mimi stuttered. Carter was much bigger than she had expected. He towered over her, casting a dark shadow over her lithe form.

"Wait...is you Avery's kid?"

"Yes."

"Then you'd better come with me," he bellowed, grabbing her wrist, dragging her away from the Turtle Pond by which she had smashed into him.

"But...but, I have to get back to my brother! I can't...I mean, I don't have time to do anything. I need to collect the eggs, or milk the cow, or-"

"Avery always helped in the dig site. I know you will do just the same. And since you're so young, you'll probably do a better job than he did," Carter said, completely ignoring the struggling girl.

"No, I can't..." she moaned.

"_Jack, where the hell are you? Save me, dammit!" _she cried in her mind. Today was not her day.

* * *

"Jack, would like some cheese and crackers?" 

"I'd love some."

Hugh smiled nervously. His mom was acting civilized, but he knew the longer she act civilized, the worse the attack would be. He winced every time she and Jack exchanged a good word. He had to get his new friend out, and quick. It was a mistake to bring him in the first place. He had been pretty sure his mom was out shopping. He mentally slapped himself. And he had no idea where his dad was...

Jack munched on his cheese and crackers, feeling rather pleased. It was his first day out on the town, and he had already made a good impression on Chris and Hugh. Of course, he hadn't forgotten his run in with the druggies, but he would deal with that problem later. Right now, he was enjoying himself.

Chris was having trouble steadying her hands, which were shaking almost violently. Why had her son brought this dirty creature into her home? He probably does more drugs than those terrible druggies. She would bet her best china he was growing his own marijuana on his farm right now. But still, at least Hugh had brought the boy. She would have gone mad if that girl had shown up on her doorstep. She was probably already the leader of The Girls. She wouldn't put it past her.

"_I couldn't trust their father. Why should his children be any different?" _she thought ferociously.

"Hey, Jack," said Hugh, "Where's your sister?"

"Oh, she's out and about. Last I saw, she was heading for the beach," Jack said after he had swallowed a bite of cracker.

"We should go to the beach too," suggested Hugh, "It's very nice, even this early in Spring."

"Alright," Jack wiped his face with a napkin, "Thank you very much for the snack, ma'am," he added, to Chris.

"Anytime," she replied, a bit curtly.

Jack paused momentarily, just barely noticing the cold note in her voice. But instead of worrying about it, he followed Hugh out the door.

* * *

"Here we are," roared Carter, "Home, sweet home." He half shoved, half dragged Mimi down the steps into the cold dig site. She shivered in her baby tee, looking around. All she could see was holes, dirt, and more holes. Flora was off in a corner, working meticulously at a small section of earth. 

She glanced up, "Oh, hi. You're Avery's daughter, right?"

Mimi, who was now shaking from both fear and cold, nodded weakly.

"Why don't you come over here and give me a hand," Flora said, waving the younger girl over.

Mimi staggered over, and was about to collapse when she remember that her jeans were new, and expensive. Seeming to read her thoughts, Flora pushed a fairly clean looking mat over to her.

"Sit on that. It's a lot cleaner than the ground"

"You ladies have fun," boomed Carter, "I'm going to go take a nap."

Once she was positive the archeologist was gone, Mimi sat down and let out the breath she had been holding since Carter had first grabbed her, back by the Turtle Pond.

Flora patted the younger girl on the back, "Sorry about him. He gets carried away very easily. Work with me for a little bit, until he's asleep, then you can sneak out."

"He's kinda scary," Mimi whispered.

"Don't worry. He's usually to drunk to do anything dangerous."

Mimi watched in silence as Flora dusted off what looked to be a large rock. She was glad Carter was gone, and Flora was with her, but she was still unhappy. She'd give anything to be back at the farm with Jack.

After a time, Flora put down her little shovel, and turned to Mimi, "Can you do me a favor?"

Mimi was a bit taken aback, "Like what?"

"I have been meaning to talk with Wally for a while now, but his wife and son are always around. I only want to have a private conversation with him. If you could keep Chris and Hugh preoccupied for me, I'd greatly appreciate it."

Mimi thought about it. It didn't seem like to much, although her father had mentioned Chris being paranoid. But, if Jack helped her, Mimi was almost positive she could pull it off.

"Sure, I'll help."

"Thank you so much," cried Flora, hugging the younger girl, "You don't know how much this means to me."

Mimi blushed slightly, "It's no problem."

Flora pulled away, "You can go home now. Carter should be asleep. How about I meet you in the Blue Bar tonight at 6:00?"

"Sounds good to me," Mimi replied, standing up and stretching. As she hurried from the dig site, glanced at her watch. It read 1:00.

"_It's only 1:00?" _she thought, "_Is this day ever going to end?_"

* * *

Jack and Hugh were just stepping outside when they noticed Mimi jogging over the bridge, waving madly. They waited for her to come over. She stopped in front of them, doubled over, panting. 

When at last she caught her breath, she said, "Jack, can we go back to the house? I have something I want to talk to you about."

"Sure thing, sis," he replied, suddenly worried. Had something happened to her?

He turned to Hugh and said, "Can we go to the beach some other time? I need to take Mimi home."

"Yeah, it's no problem," said Hugh, "It was nice to meet you."

"We'll have to get together tomorrow," Jack added. He waved good-bye to his new friend before taking his sister's hand and leading her back to their farm.

* * *

Sitting on the queen sized bed, Mimi recounted her afternoon adventure to her older brother. Jack felt terrible for leaving his sister alone. He was glad she was a strong person; anyone else would have been in hysterics. 

"So now, I need to meet Flora at the Blue Bar in five hours so I can help her see Wally," the young girl finished.

"How about I give you a hand? I've already gotten to know Hugh and Chris," Jack offered. He felt obligated at to help at this point. He wasn't about to let his little sister go out alone in this place again.

"Would you? That'd make it so much easier. Thanks," Mimi looked relieved. She gave her brother a hug.

"No problem," he said, gently rubbing her back. He pulled away, looking her in the eyes, "I have to go collect the eggs. You want to help?"

"Ok."

* * *

**This chapter required a bit research. I don't know much about drugs, or paranoia. Thankfully, I've got the Urban Dictionary and Googleto help me. **

**Reveiw, please! I could really use the feedback. **


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